Gauner

See also: gauner

German

Etymology

Attested from the 16th century; with East Middle German g- for the j- sound of older Joner, which in the 15th century meant "(wrong) player"; related to the verb junen (“to play wrong”); Joner probably originally meant "Greek" and came from West Yiddish יוון‎ (Yovon, “Greece”), יווןער‎ (yevoner, “Greek, Ionian”), which in turn stems from the Hebrew יָוָן‎ (yaván, “Greece”). The exact origin is unclear.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [ˈɡaʊ̯nɐ]
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Gauner m (genitive Gauners, plural Gauner, feminine Gaunerin)

  1. (colloquial) crook, racketeer (one who commits crimes)
    Synonyms: Ganove, Halunke, Gangster, Bandit
  2. (colloquial) sly, cunning person
    Synonyms: Schlitzohr, Schlawiner

Declension
Declension of Gauner
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Gauner die Gauner
genitive eines des Gauners der Gauner
dative einem dem Gauner den Gaunern
accusative einen den Gauner die Gauner

Derived terms
  • Gaunerei

See also

Further reading
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